Klerksdorp Midweek, Klerksdorp - Two local primary schools are among 32 schools from across South Africa that were selected as finalists in the annual National EduPlant School Gardening Competition 2025. The schools were shortlisted from a total of 300 schools onboarded as EduPlant participants at the start of 2024. The winners will be announced on Tuesday October 7, during an official gala event in Rustenburg. Alabama Primary School and Tigane Primary School are keeping fingers crossed at the prize giving.
The top three national winners will be announced along with the two top Centres of Excellence schools, which mentored the participating schools in the new cycle. In addition, a winning school will be selected within each province.
EduPlant is South Africa’s premier natio-nal school nutrition and food security programme. Initiated in 1994 and implemented by Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), EduPlant has been supported by Tiger Brands since 2019.
The 300 schools initially onboarded as EduPlant food garden schools in 2024 received extensive training in permaculture practices to assist them in growing their own vegetables, fruit, and herbs. The produce is harvested and served as part of the schools’ learner feeding programmes. Any surplus crops are shared by the schools with their surrounding communities. The 32 schools shortlisted in the national competition were singled out for the way learners implemented their newfound knowledge to grow a successful garden. By involving schools in permaculture food gardening, it teaches students important life skills while improving food security, promoting better nutrition, and creating a healthier ecological balance.
In many instances, learners and educators transfer their newly acquired subsistence agriculture skills and knowledge to surrounding community members, who in turn create their own food gardens to meet the nutritional needs of their families and to generate a small income for themselves.
Alabama Primary School
The food garden at Alabama Primary School is an inspiring urban success story, transforming a difficult environment into a Centre of Excellence since attending an EduPlant workshop in 2010.
This large urban school, serving 1380 learners including 500 vulnerable children, successfully tackled compact clay soil and the initial challenge of no nearby water supply.
The school now boasts a resilient 424 m² garden, powered by a dedicated team of eight learners and three educators, with support from five community members. They have become masters of water conservation, innovatively planting 2-litre bottles in the beds to mimic drip irrigation. The school intensely works on soil health, using six compost heaps that process all organic waste.
The garden is a crucial lifeline, providing enough organic food to supplement the school feeding scheme for about 150 learners. Furthermore, by advertising and selling their organic vegetables in the school newsletter, they generate funds to buy equipment and seedlings, ensuring the project’s financial sustainability. Alabama’s impact extends wide, highlighting the importance of healthy organic eating and care for the earth.
Tigane Primary School
The long-standing journey of Tigane Primary School is a powerful example of maximising a small space for major community impact. Since starting their food garden in 2012, this peri-urban school, which serves 1038 learners including 53 vulnerable children, successfully transformed a hilly plot of sandy loam into a productive 90 m² garden.
The garden operates as a key teaching resource, involving an impressive 200 learners and two educators who integrate gardening into Natural Science and Technology lessons. They conserve water resources through tanks and diligently maintaining their soil with two compost heaps and mulch. The harvests - which include spinach, onions, cabbage, and carrots - are vital, supplementing the school feeding scheme and providing care packages for learners in need.
The money generated from sales is reinvested to buy seedlings and compost, ensuring the project’s financial sustainability.
